Power driven snake canister



April 3, 1963 R. R. CRANE 3,086,234

POWER DRIVEN SNAKE CANISTER Filed Jan. 5, 1961 INVENTOR,

Arm/ 0 3,086,234 POWER DRIVEN SNAKE CANISTER Robert R. Crane, LosAngeles, Calif, assignor to Flexible Plumhertools Inc., Los Angeles,Calif, a corporation of California Filed Jan. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 80,681 8Claims. (Cl. 15-1045) This invention relates to the cleaning of drainlines in the plumbing of homes and other buildings, leading from kitchensinks, bathrooms, etc. to sewers. The tool commonly used by plumbers andhome owners in cleaning such drain lines when they become clogged, is ahighly flexible drive shaft comprising essentially a tight coil ofspring wire (in some cases reinforced by a flexible core extendingthrough an outer coil) commonly known as a snake. Snakes of thereinforced type provide sufficient driving torque, even over greatlength, to satisfactorily utilize power drive extending beyond thedriving force which could be applied to snakes of the old hand-operatedtype, and portable power operated snake driving devices are now commonlyused by plumbers. The general object of this invention is to provide animproved portable power operated apparatus for rotating and feeding adrain cleaning snake, of a type wherein the snake is stored, in coiledcondition, within a canister or reel which is rotated in order totransmit rotation to the snake as it is fed from one end of the canisteralong the rotational axis thereof, means being also provided forapplying a pull to the snake along said axis to draw it from thecanister and feed it into a drain (and, in reverse, to draw it out ofthe drain and feed it back into the canister). Devices of this generaltype, both hand operated and motor driven, are disclosed in the patentsto Rowland, No. 2,102,917, December 21, 1937, and Kerber, No. 2,223,005,November 26, 1940.

An object of the invention is to provide improvements in this type ofsnake driving device. A specific object is to provide an improved springloaded axial-feed unit operating at the mouth of the canister fortransmitting linear feed to the snake.

Another object is to provide an improved and simplified arrangement ofparts within the canister for guiding the snake from its coiled, storedposition to its axially projecting position where it issues from thecanister. v

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuingspecifications and appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational View of a snake driving and feedingapparatus embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same with a portion of the canister housingbroken away to illustrate the internal construction;

FIG. 3 is a detail fragmentary front elevational view, as indicated byline 3-3 of FIG. 2, showing the linear feed unit;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view looking rearwardly at theguide mechanism within the reel as indicated by line 44 of FIG. 2;

, FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of a spring loadingmechanism for the idler roller of the linear feed unit, taken asindicated by line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of a portion of the guidemechanism taken as indicated by ne 6 O G- 4,

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail, I have showntherein, as an example of one form in which my invention may beembodied, a motor driven portable snake driving and feeding apparatuscomprising, in general, a supporting stand A; a snake storage reel orcanister B rotatably nite rates atent mounted in stand A upon a drivingand feeding axis indicated by the broken line a in FIG. 1; and a linearfeed unit C disposed at the forward end of the canister 13 where thelatter has a mouth through which a snake D is normally coiled within thecanister B as indicated in FIG. 2. The apparatus further includes powermeans E for driving the canister B.

Referring to FIG. 2, it may be noted at this point that the snake D hasa portion d thereof extending spirally from the circumferential coil dwithin canister B to the axially projecting portion d" issuing from themouth of the canister. The linear feed unit C is positioned at the mouthof the canister, closely adjacent thereto, for acting upon the issuingportion 01' of the snake. The canister includes guide mechanism, visiblein FIG. 2, for guiding this spiral transitional portion of the snakebetween its coiled and axially projecting positions. This guidemechanism is positioned within the housing of the canister B. a

The forward end of snake D is adapted for coupling to a drain cleaningtool (not shown).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Stand A comprises forward and rear yokes 10 and 11,each including a horizontal bridge bar 12 and pairs of legs 13 extendingdownwardly therefrom and capped by supporting shoes 14. Yokes 10 and 11are joined by longitudinally extending rails 15 welded to the legs 13near their lower ends. A carrying handle 16 is welded to the rear bridgebar 12. Pillow block bearings 17 and 1d are secured on top of therespective bridge bars 12 as indicated, on a common axis disposedsomewhat to the left of the center of the stand A as viewed from thefront. Motor E is thus accommodated in the space between yokes 10 and'11 at the rightward side of the stand as viewed in FIG. 2.

Canister B comprises a housing embodying a cylindrical rim 70, a conicalcowl portion 71 joined integrally to the forward margin of rim andprojecting forwardly, a nose 19 of collar form at the forward end ofcowl 18, and a tubular trunnion 20 integrally joined to and project ingforwardly from nose 19 and functioning also as a nozzle providing themouth through which the axial portion d of the snake D issues.Detachably secured to the rear margin of rim 70 is a rear end cap 21 offlat disc form having a cylindrical flange receiving the rear end of rim70. A stub shaft 22 extends through the center of cap 21 and is securedthereto by an integral flange collar 23. Shaft 22 has a rearwardlyprojecting external portion which is journalled in bearing 18, and aforward portion, on which is rotatably mounted a guide support disc 24.A flat partition ring 25 is secured by suitable means such as anglebrackets 26, to the inner wall of rim 70 at the forward margin thereof,and cooperates with rim 70, rear end cap 21 and guide support disc '24to define a flat cylindrical reel chamber 26 in which the coiled portiond of snake D is stored, with its outer coils bearing against the innerwall of rim 70 and confined axially between the cap 21 and partitionring 25.. Guide support disc 24 is positioned in a plane immediatelyrearward of the plane of partition ring 25, and with its peripheryslightly overlapping the inner margin of ring 25. Disc 24 is adjustablymounted upon a threaded forward end portion of shaft 22 between nuts 28threaded thereon, and has an integral hub 29 mounting it on the shaft 22for free rotation between nuts 28, in any position to which it isadjusted.

Trunnion-nozzle 20 extends through and is rotatably mounted in bearing17. The canister B is embraced between hearings 17 and 18, with nose 19and flange collar 23 in abutting relation to the respective hearings toconfine the canister B against axial movement.

3 Guide Sleeve -A slightly flexible guide sleeve 30, consisting in ahelical coil of spring wire of closed-coil formation, has a rear endportion extending through an aperture 31 in g uide support disc 24, andat its rear end has several coils thereof expanded to form a bell-mouth32 which functions to guide the snake into and out of the sleeve 30smoothly, avoiding catching of the snake against the rear end of thesleeve. Bell-mouth 32 also constitutes a head which prevents the rearend of the sleeve pulling through the aperture 31, in which it is freeof any fixed attachment to the disc 24.

The forward end of guide sleeve 36 extends into and is secured to nose19, as by welding at 33 (FIG. 2). The rearward end portion of nozzle 29is extended into the forward portion of nose 19 and has a tip 20threaded into sleeve and thus secured therein. The forward end of sleeve30 is thus secured in axial alignment with nozzle 20 so that snake D maysmoothly pass from one of these parts into the other. From the nose 19,sleeve 30 extends rearwardly, diverging from axis a at a graduallyincreasing angle which approaches 45 at the rear end of the sleeve. Thesleeve 36 assumes a position lying in a plane of the axis a.

At this point it may be noted that, when the snake D is being coiled upwithin the canister B, or is being uncoiled and withdrawn from thecanister, relative rotation must necessarily occur between the canisterand the support disc 24. If the canister is stationary at the time thesnake is being withdrawn therefrom, in the uncoiling action (which isattended by a separation of the snake from contact with the internalwall of rim 17 at a point which will orbit circumferentially around thechamber 27) the rear end of sleeve 30 will describe a circular path ofrevolution following the revolving movement of the point of separationof the snake from the rim 17, and the disc 24 will rotate on shaft 22 tofollow this orbital movement of the rear end of sleeve 30. At the sametime, the sleeve 30, With its forward end fixed to the nose 19 of thecanister B, will remain fixed against rotation around its ownlongitudinal axis, and consequently, as its rear end describes theorbital path, the local portion of disc 24 around its opening 31, willrotate around the rear end portion of sleeve 30, i.e., relative rotationof the rear end portion of sleeve 30 and disc 24, within opening 31,will occur.

Feed'unit C comprises a mounting bracket in the form of a shelf 36(metal plate) secured on top of bridge bar 12 of forward yoke 10 betweenthe same and pillow block 17. Pillow block 17 and shelf 36 may both besecured by bolts 37 extending through them and through the bridge bar12.

A vertical bearing boss 38 is welded to shelf 36 and projects upwardlytherefrom, as shown in FIG. 3. R0- tatably mounted in boss 38 is thelower end of a crank 40 which has a handle 41 for rotating the same.Crank 40 extends through and is secured to a drive roll 42 having aconcave periphery defined by a circumferential array of teeth 43arranged in helical array, for meshing with the turns of snake D. On thelower end of shaft 40 is secured a head 44 which, through a washer,establishes end bearing support by the under face of shelf 36 to retainthe lower end of crank 40 in bearing boss 38.

An idler roller 45 is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 46 whichprojects downwardly therethrouugh and is mounted at its lower end in theswinging end of a mount arm 47 extending parallel to projecting portiond" of the snake. The other end of mount arm 4'7 is attached to a pivot48 which extends downwardly therethrough and is secured in shelf 36. Theaxes of stub shaft 46 and crank 40 are opposed to one another at rightangles across the axis a, with the projecting portion d of the snakeengaged between them. Roller 45 is spring loaded into engagement withsnake portion at" by a mouse trap spring which comprises a coil 49, atangential arm 50 projecting from the lower end thereof and yieldinglybearing against the outer side of swinging mount arm 47, and atangential arm 51 extending from its upper end. Arm 51 has a tip 52which is bent upwardly therefrom and extends upwardly through anaperture in a retainer head 53 of disc form. Head 53 is secured upon atrunnion consisting of the upper end of a post 54 which projectsdownwardly through coil 49 and is anchored in shelf 36. A spacer sleeve55 (FIG. 5) is interposed between the shelf 36 and the head 53, the post54 projecting upwardly through the sleeve 55, and a collar 56 encirclesthe sleeve 55, to provide an enlarged body portion of the post receivedwithin and positioning the coils 49. The head 53 is fixed againstrotation by a cup nut 57 which is threaded onto the threaded upper endof post 54- and receives a plurality of collet jaws 58 integral with andprojecting upwardly from a collet collar 59 secured to head 53. Byloosening nut 57, head 53 is freed for rotational adjustment in order toadjust the spring loading of the spring unit 49-51. By tightening thenut 57, downward pressure is exerted through jaws 58 against head 53,seating it against the upper end of sleeve 55, and at the same time thejaws 58 are drawn tightly against the upper end of post 54, locking thecollet and the head 53 to the post, against rotation.

'Drive E comprises an electric motor 60 which is mounted upon a bracket61 carried by the rightward rail 15 of stand A. Motor 60 is providedwith a toggle switch 62 for starting and stopping, and with a power lead63 for connection to a power outlet. On its drive shaft is a drivepulley 64 which drives a belt 65 extending around the cylindricalperiphery of canister rim 70, and frictionally driving the same. In theevent of overloading (as where the driven tool becomes stuck in a tightarea of a drain pipe) the belt 65 Will slip on the periphery of canisterB to avoid overloading the motor E, or damaging the snake D.

OPERATION In the use of the apparatus, it may be carried from place toplace by grasping the handle 16. In setting it up for use it is simplyrested upon a floor or other supporting surface in a position wherenozzle 20 faces an opening in a plumbing system into which the snake isto be inserted. By rotating the crank 40, the drive pulley 42 is rotatedagainst the snake, with a geared action between its teeth 43 and theturns of the snake, thus driving the snake forwardly, withdrawing itfrom the canister B and feeding it into the drain that is to be cleaned.When the tool on the forward end of the snake encounters an obstruction,the motor 60 may be started, to rotate the canister B, from whichrotation will be transmitted to the snake D. Simultaneously, the crank40 may be slowly rotated to feed the snake forwardly into the drain. Solong as the snake is not being fed into or out of the canister, therewill be no relative orbital movement between the canister and the guidetube 30, and thus no relative rotation between the disc 24 and thecanister. When the snake is being withdrawn from the canister and fedforwardly, the disc 24 will rotate ahead of the canister (the normaldirection of rotation of the canister being clockwise as viewed by theoperator standing behind the apparatus). Such direction of rotation isindicated by arrow 66 in FIG. 2. When the snake is being withdrawn fromthe drain and pushed back into the canister B, there will be relativerotation of disc 24 with respect to the canister in the oppositedirection, i.e., counterclockwise as viewed by the operator lookingforwardly from the rear side of the device.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for feeding and rotating a drain cleaning snake, incombination: a canister comprising a rim, a rear end cap and a fiatpartition ring spaced forwardly of said rear end cap, cooperativelydefining a rear chamber to contain a coiled snake, said canister havingat its forward end a nozzle through which the snake may issue; a supporthaving bearing means in which said canister is mounted for rotation onthe axis of said nozzle, means for effecting rotation of said canisterfor rotating the snake in a cleaning operation; and guide meanscomprising a freely flexible guide tube having a forward end fixed inthe forward end of said canister and communicating with said nozzle,said canister transmitting rotation to said forward end of the guidetube and a support disc mounted in said canister in a radial planeadjacent the plane of said partition ring, for free rotation on saidaxis, said support disc having, near its periphery, an opening throughwhich the rear end of said guide tube is extended, free of fixedattachment to said disc, whereby the local area of said disc around saidopening will rotate about said rear end of the guide tube to accommodateorbital flexing swinging movement of said guide tube in a generallyconical path within the canister while its said forward end remainsfixed with reference to the canister, the rear end of said guide tubefollowing the circumferen tial movement of the point of separation ofsaid snake from said canister rim during unc'oiling and coilingmovements of the snake within said reel chamber.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said support disc isdisposed within said reel chamber at the forward side thereof, andincluding a shaft projecting through the center of said rear end cap,carried by said support, and rotatably mounting said support disc at itsforward end.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said shaft is fixed to saidrear end cap and is journaled in said bearing means for rotatablysupporting the rear end of said canister.

4. Apparatus for feeding and rotating a drain cleaning snake,comprising: a canister comprising a rim, a rear end cap and a fiatpartition ring spaced forwardly of said rear end cap, cooperativelydefining a reel chamber to contain a coiled snake and having'at itsforward end a nozzle through which the snake may issue; a shaftextending through the center of said rear end cap and fixed thereto inalignment with said nozzle; a stand comprising spaced forward and rearframe members having respective aligned bearings, said shaft having aportion projecting rearwar-dly from said cap and journall ed in the rearhearing, and said nozzle projecting forwardly from said canister andjournalled in the forward bearing, whereby said canister is mounted forrotation on a longitudinal aXis to which the plane of said ring isnormal; means for effecting rotation of said canister for rotating thesnake in a cleaning operation; and guide means comprising a flexibleguide tube of coiled spring wire having a forward end fixed to andcommunicating with the rear end of said nozzle, and a support discmounted upon the forward end of said shaft within said reel chamber in aplane adjacent to said ring plane, for free rotation with respect to thecanister, said nozzle connecting said guide tube to said canister infixed relation such that rotation will be transmitted from said canisterto the forward end of said guide tube, said disc having an openingthrough which the rear end of said guide tube is extended, free of fixedattachment to said disc, whereby the local area of said disc aroundsaidopening may rotate about said rear end of the guide tube to accommodateflexing swinging movement of said guide tube within the canister in agenerally conical path with its rear end moving orbitally so as tofollow the circumferential movement of the point of separation of saidsnake from said canister rim during uncoiling and coiling movements ofthe snake within said reel chamber.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said guide tube has anexpanded rear end portion defining a bellmouth for facilitating themovement of said snake smoothly into said rear end of the guide tube andalso constituting a head retaining said rear end Within said opening inthe support disc.

6. Apparatus for feeding and rotating a drain cleaning snake,comprising: a canister defining at its rear end a reel chamber tocontain a coiled snake and having at its forward end a nozzle throughwhich the snake may issue; a support having bearing means in which saidcanister is mounted for rotation on the axis of said nozzle, saidsupport including a bracket projecting forwardly beneath said nozzle;and means carried by said bracket for feeding said snake longitudinallyin said nozzle, comprising a drive roll having a toothed periphery formeshing engagement with said snake and having means for transmittingrotation thereto, said drive roll being mounted on said bracket forrotation on a vertical axis at one side of said nozzle axis inengagement with said snake, an idler roller engaging the side of saidsnake opposite said drive roller, a swinging mount on one end of whichsaid idler roller is mounted for rotation, a vertical pivot connectingthe other end of said swinging mount to said bracket for horizontalswinging movement transversely of said nozzle axis, and means springloading said mount toward said snake, comprising a vertical post mountedon said bracket, a mouse-trap spring including a coil encircling saidpost, an arm at one end of said coil engaged against said roller mount,a second arm at the other end of said coil, a head rotatably mounted onsaid post, to which the end of said second arm is anchored, and meansfor securing said head to said post in selected positions of rotatableadjustment thereon for adjusting the intensity of the spring loadingapplied to said snake through said idler roller.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said post has an enlargedbody portion encircled by said coil spring and defining an annularshoulder at its upper end, and a trunnion projecting upwardly from saidshoulder, wherein said head is in the form of a disc having a hubrotatably mounted upon said trunnion and supported on said shoulder, andwherein said second arm has a tip bent therefrom and projecting parallelto said post, said head having an aperture in which said tip is engaged.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said hub is provided with aplurality of collet jaws projecting axially therefrom and wherein saidsecuring means comprises a cup nut threaded onto the end of said postand receiving said collet jaws and cooperable therewithin to wedge theminto locking engagement with said post when tightened.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,223,005 Kerber Nov. 26, 1940 2,267,493 Clotz Dec. 23, 1941 2,319,828Rohweder May 25, 1943 2,340,440 Swann Feb. 1, 1944- 2,730,740 OBrienJan. '17, 1956 2,926,372 OBrien Mar. 1, 1960 3,025,547 Ciaccio Mar. 20,1962

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND ROTATING A DRAIN CLEANING SNAKE, INCOMBINATION: A CANISTER COMPRISING A RIM, A REAR END CAP AND A FLATPARTITION RING SPACED FORWARDLY OF SAID REAR END CAP, COOPERATIVELYDEFINING A REAR CHAMBER TO CONTAIN A COILED SNAKE, SAID CANISTER HAVINGAT ITS FORWARD END A NOZZLE THROUGH WHICH THE SNAKE MAY ISSUE; A SUPPORTHAVING BEARING MEANS IN WHICH SAID CANISTER IS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ONTHE AXIS OF SAID NOZZLE, MEANS FOR EFFECTING ROTATION OF SAID CANISTERFOR ROTATING THE SNAKE IN A CLEANING OPERATION; AND GUIDE MEANSCOMPRISING A FREELY FLEXIBLE GUIDE TUBE HAVING A FORWARD END FIXED INTHE FORWARD END OF SAID CANISTER AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID NOZZLE,SAID CANISTER TRANSMITTING ROTATION TO SAID FORWARD END OF THE GUIDETUBE AND A SUPPORT DISC MOUNTED IN SAID CANISTER IN A RADIAL PLANEADJACENT THE PLANE OF SAID PARTITION RING, FOR FREE ROTATION ON SAIDAXIS, SAID SUPPORT DISC HAVING, NEAR ITS PERIPHERY, AN OPENING THROUGHWHICH THE REAR END OF SAID GUIDE TUBE IS EXTENDED, FREE OF FIXEDATTACHMENT TO SAID DISC, WHEREBY THE LOCAL AREA OF SAID DISC AROUND SAIDOPENING WILL ROTATE ABOUT SAID REAR END OF THE GUIDE TUBE TO ACCOMMODATEORBITAL FLEXING SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID GUIDE TUBE IN A GENERALLYCONICAL PATH WITHIN THE CANISTER WHILE ITS SAID FORWARD END REMAINSFIXED WITH REFERENCE TO THE CANISTER, THE REAR END OF SAID GUIDE TUBEFOLLOWING THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL MOVEMENT OF THE POINT OF SEPARATION OFSAID SNAKE FROM SAID CANISTER RIM DURING UNCOILING AND COILING MOVEMENTSOF THE SNAKE WITHIN SAID REEL CHAMBER.
 6. APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ANDROTATING A DRAIN CLEANING SNAKE, COMPRISING: A CANISTER DEFINING AT ITSREAR END A REEL CHAMBER TO CONTAIN A COILED SNAKE AND HAVING AT ITSFORWARD END A NOZZLE THROUGH WHICH THE SNAKE MAY ISSUE; A SUPPORT HAVINGBEARING MEANS IN WHICH SAID CANISTER IS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ON THE AXISOF SAID NOZZLE, SAID SUPPORT INCLUDING A BRACKET PROJECTING FORWARDLYBENEATH SAID NOZZLE; AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID BRACKET FOR FEEDING SAIDSNAKE LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID NOZZLE, COMPRISING A DRIVE ROLL HAVING ATOOTHED PERIPHERY FOR MESHING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SNAKE AND HAVINGMEANS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION THERETO, SAID DRIVE ROLL BEING MOUNTEDON SAID BRACKET FOR ROTATION ON A VERTICAL AXIS AT ONE SIDE OF SAIDNOZZLE AXIS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SNAKE, AN IDLER ROLLER ENGAGING THESIDE OF SAID SNAKE OPPOSITE SAID DRIVE ROLLER, A SWINGING MOUNT ON ONEEND OF WHICH SAID IDLER ROLLER IS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION, A VERTICAL PIVOTCONNECTING THE OTHER END OF SAID SWINGING MOUNT TO SAID BRACKET FORHORIZONTAL SWINGING MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY OF SAID NOZZLE AXIS, AND MEANSSPRING LOADING SAID MOUNT TOWARD SAID SNAKE, COMPRISING A VERTICAL POSTMOUNTED ON SAID BRACKET, A MOUSE-TRAP SPRING INCLUDING A COIL ENCIRCLINGSAID POST, AN ARM AT ONE END OF SAID COIL ENGAGED AGAINST SAID ROLLERMOUNT, A SECOND ARM AT THE OTHER END OF SAID COIL, A HEAD ROTATABLYMOUNTED ON SAID POST, TO WHICH THE END OF SAID SECOND ARM IS ANCHORED,AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID HEAD TO SAID POST IN SELECTED POSITIONS OFROTATABLE ADJUSTMENT THEREON FOR ADJUSTING THE INTENSITY OF THE SPRINGLOADING APPLIED TO SAID SNAKE THROUGH SAID IDLER ROLLER.